Honi A'a' (Kiss challenge)
by Lamb's Ear
Summary: Spock is taking a summer holiday in Kauai after graduating from StarFleet Academy and having to report back for duty as an Instructor. Nyota is also on vacation with a few friends that also got accepted to the academy and is living wild and free before she hands her reins over to StarFleet. The title is Hawaiian, not Vulcan. To Valyria, thanks for everything *mwauh*
1. Chapter 1

He rose reluctantly to the forefront of his mind. He did not wish to resume his summer 'vacation' away from the academy but he longer wished to mediate upon his problems. They remained ever present and unresolved. Spock never put the feeling of his disquiet into words but he did wonder about dwelling on his issues. They were unique only to him. A man of two world, neither of which would ever lovingly look upon him and call him son. It grated against him. His mediation on the matter was simply as a way to endure what he must and try to find peace else where. But it was hard to make peace with being alone. Alone among friends, family and his no longer bonded life partner. He swallowed hard to get his salvia past the lump lodged within his throat.

His inner eyelids withdrew and he blinked slowly at his surroundings. Poipu Beach was a place that he was sure his instructor Christopher Pike would have described as 'breathtaking' but Spock struggled with that notion. Eerie was a more apt description. He felt very much the alien on his mother's home world. Everything from the blue sky to the various weather patterns of this planet disturbed him. Nothing here called to with the meaning of home. Kauai in particular struck him with a ironic sense of Juxtapose as he thought of his home in ShiKahr. Here it was lush, humid and hospitable, life bursting out from every corner. He found Sol warm and comforting not at all punishing like that of 40 Eridani's rays. He rose and stretched, ignoring pointed looks in his direction as he did so. Dusting off his swim trunks, he sometimes wondered who was the more curious humanoid out of his parent's people. He could never be sure enough to say. Vulcan had always hidden their curiosity behind debates and scientific pursuits while human made few and poor attempts to hide it.

Spock wandered off of the beach into the surrounding forest, unfettered from having to lug bag around. He wanted to be as simple as possible today, no shoes, no shirt, just his black board shorts to save him from complete nudity. Spock started to follow a small stream that emptied out on the beach from the mountains. The dense brush was alive with sound. Clicks and whistles bounced off the canopy above and buzzed within his ears. Spock mentally marked off the birds that he had noted earlier from a field guide left in his hotel. He found each fowl to be more bizarre than the last. A trill of laughter drowned out the bird calls and Spock stopped moving. He pinpointed the direction the sound originated from when another loud giggle floated through the forest. He stalked slowly amongst the underbrush, not wanting to startle whoever he would come upon.

He came to the tip of a ridge and quietly looked over the edge. He saw a group of teenagers and twenty somethings gathered at the base of a large, thundering waterfall. Some were treading in the pool below, splashing and hooting at one another, while others sunbathed along its rocky shore.

He blithely watched them. He had never been presented with the opportunity to observe humans au natural without them being aware of him. His mind gingerly picked apart their actions and classified them into different biological functions.

Two females were spread out absorbing the sun's rays, getting more than there daily required allotment of vitamin D. The group of four young males in the water were playing a game as a form of bonding friendships and testing each other's strengths. There was also a group directly below his position that were setting up a music player and beginning to gyrate at the first few beats of a song. To Spock's ears the sounds emitted from the speakers could hardly be called music, a good deal of profanity and crude lyrics were involved.

One of the females dancing along the bank caught his eye and he watched her movements with rapt attention. She sang along to the lyrics, smiling as she rolled her hips and wove her arms to the melody, her ponytail bobbing two beats behind. _This slender, brown female has commenced in a mating ritua_l he mused thoughtfully, _she's showing the males how healthy and fertile she is_. The chorus came along and she started to bounce her backside to the beat, much to the enjoyment of the surrounding males.

Spock flushed profusely at the display. He was torn with whether to look away or join her. To his horror his lok stirred and grew hard him, straining against his swim trunks just as one male answered her display with his own, dancing right behind her. Spock held her hips as they ground against each other to the noisy music, the other participants whooping encouragements. He startled himself as a growl rumbled his chest at the male's advancing hands on the female's stomach. Why did he touch her so? Why did she allow it? Perhaps she was courting with this male? He did not stop himself from sneering as the male attempted to kiss her but felt a smug satisfaction when she denied him with a turn of her cheek.

" Oh, c'mon Uhura, it's our last taste of freedom before we go to the academy! One kiss please?"

Spock saw that the male had depreciated in value to the female, her mind unmoved by the whiny pleas. _His mating dance was rejected_ Spock answered within his mind. The thought of it gave him great pleasure.

" No, I don't think so, Michael. I want a taste of something wild this vacation. This is my last year as a free woman and you're just a tame little kitty cat that got let out of the house. " The female called Uhura by the male swiped her hand at him as if she were a cat.

The male called Michael grabbed Uhura's hand and brought it to his chest, he eyes large with the expression Spock's mother had once called 'puppy eyes'.

" You wound me! What do I have to do to show you I'm a tiger and not a house cat, girl?" he wiggled his brows.

Uhura tapped her finger against her lips, pouting them out as she thought. Her gaze settled on the enormous waterfall and she grinned. This fall was much higher than the 15 ft. Kipu fall that Spock had hiked to yesterday. It was easily 80 or more feet high with a gushing twin torrent of water racing over flat face rock, plummeting down with a resounding boom. Very treacherous to one's health. She turned to the rest of the crowd and cupped her mouth with her hands.

"Anyone who jumps over the waterfall get to kiss me!" She shouted gleefully. A number of males questioned her sincerity (and to Spock's amazement one female as well) but a small pack of them started scaling up rocks up towards the falls.

" Hurry up I'm waiting." Uhura called out in a sing song voice.

" I won't keep you waiting long, beautiful." huffed a large male, struggling a bit with his footing on the misty rocks and mud.

" Be careful, Hendorff, make it back down here in one piece."

Before he knew what he was doing, Spock took off bounding along the side of the ridge, racing towards the falls. Michael was already there tittering on the edge, looking down warily. The current was swift and the mist rising off of the pool's surface obscured any rock that might lay below.

"I don't think this is safe. Can you choose something else?" He shouted below over the roar of the water.

"Nope that's my deal. Guess I'm going to have to go kiss-less this holiday." She gave a mock sigh.

Spock slowed his gait as he neared the edge. The rest of the challengers, now gathered at the top, gave him a surprised look. Michael scowled and huffed at him. " Who the hell are you?"

Spock's face remained neutral as he made calculations for his decent of Wailua Falls. He would need a clearance of 4.3 feet to land at the point where the water would be the deepest. He answered Michael as he steadily backed up. " I am the one who is about to receive the kiss." And with that he bolted towards the water's end and flew off the edge of the Wailua.

Spock heard a number of things during the 2.8 seconds of his free fall. People shouting, some cursing, others gasping but his ears distinctly caught the sound of Uhura's surprised squeal. He was engulfed in a veil of blue as the water swallowed him whole. With three strong kicks Spock's head was free of the water. He swam over to the bank and climbed out of the water making his way toward Uhura. He fought the urge to shake his body free of the water, instead letting it glide down. Her eyes danced across his body and he was gratified to see her smile.

" Well hello there handsome." she cooed in Vuhlkansu.

Spock blinked, both from her perfect pronunciation of his native tongue and the flirtation detected within her voice. She approved of him he assumed and accepted his hand for her attentions. He stood there mutely, only feeling self-conscious under her heated gaze and not the others surrounding him.

A loud groan sounded from the top of the falls from a familiar sounding voice. " That's not fair! That Vulcan just showed up out of nowhere! He wouldn't have gotten hurt either, he's like 3 times stronger than a human!" Michael bemoaned.

" As if you were going to jump, Uhura yelled back. "I said anyone after all." She winked at him and Spock blushed but the rest of his face remained unchanged. She gestured with her head as she picked up a nearby bag as she started off towards the forest.

She spoke in low tone. " Follow me, you don't have to kiss me in front of everybody." She smiled broadly as his feet automatically obeyed. The scent trailing behind her was wonderful. She smelt of terran flowers and sun. He felt like a victorious bee that won rites to nest in a field of jasmine. That was the scent, she smelled of jasmine. His dour mood from earlier evaporated as he inhaled deeply.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled back to her companions. " See you later guys, call my comm if you need me. This gentleman here is taking me out on a date!"

Spock's brow rose a bit in surprise. She really did approve of him.

And he didn't even have to dance.

He glanced back over at the cliff where Michael was pouting and gave him a pointed brow lift and a human shrug. He felt pleasure tugging at the corners of his mouth when he turned around and heard Michael howl in frustration.

Humans.

Spock anxiously followed his 'female' through the forest, content for now to just be in her presence.

"Nyota." she said quietly.

"Excuse me?" he stopped in middle of walking.

She spun around and locked eyes with him. He found it hard to hold her gaze and not react to its implications. She smiled impishly and said the word again. " Nyota. That's my name. It means star. I thought you would like to know."

He tilted his head and tested the name on his tongue. " Nyota."

She smiled warmly at him as he tried her name a few more ways.

" Nyota, I am glad to make your acquaintance. I am called Spock. My name's meaning is uniter."

Her smile turned into something more like a smirk but he could not be sure of what it meant exactly. He had only been here on earth for 4 years, but a lifetime of Vulcan social etiquette and interactions were ingrained in him. Reading about humans, their varied cultures, complex humor, traditions and histories had helped but only slightly. The only guide Spock had read in regards to human mates was the 'Karma Sutra'. That was recommended by one of his lewd roommates. Although he found it fascinating the amount of time and effort ancient humans had put into love making, it left him at a lost of what to do up until that point. He mourned his lack of human dating etiquette.

" Spock as in Spohkh?" she queried.

He nodded, very pleased that she could say his name correctly. It was very enjoyable to hear her call him.

" You stated that I was to take you on a date? Is this a new requirement for receiving your kiss?"

Nyota laughed and Spock's heart skipped against his side.

" No, no, no. I just wanted to spend some time with you away from prying eyes." She beamed. " I know how Vulcans can be about touching, let alone having to demonstrate it in front of a crowd."

" I thank you. I agree, it would have diminished the experience of kissing you." he stated solemnly.

She appeared further amused by his reply. She meekly stepped toward him, her body language at great odds with her gleeful facial expression. She licked her lips.

He swallowed.

" Would you like to kiss me now or later?" she asked with her eyes hidden under her lashes.

Spock was paralyzed. What was he doing? Here he was in the middle of the jungle with a young woman that he had just met contemplating on whether or not to kiss her now or later.

Wait, later?

" What happens later?" He asked, curious now that she would assume that they would be in each other's company after said kiss had happened. She looked at the ground and toed at the dark rocky soil with a sandaled foot.

" I was thinking we _could_ actually go out on a date? My treat of course, I'm the one dragging you around out here." she murmured.

" You are hardly dragging me, Nyota. I walked her of my own volition.."

At that she laughed again and Spock soon found himself quite taken with her easy going demeanor and musical laughter.

" But I would like to pursue this date you speak of. I will pay for any expenses accrued." Spock said flatly though he was latently praising himself for remembering that most human males like Vulcans pay for their females' entertainment and sustenance.

She looked shy now but she nodded her head. " Okay, there's this new dessert I'm all about right now called shave ice. Have you had it?" He shook his head and she grew excited. " This way. The road and the food stalls aren't too far off from here."

They trekked through the copse of trees and soon came upon a number of vendors both local to the island and to the quadrant.

There were three shave ice stands all either claiming to be the first, the original or the best. Spock fell behind Nyota and followed her to the smallest kiosk. A middle aged man waved them over, eyeing Spock as they approached. He turned to Nyota and grinned.

"I knew you'd be back, gul. This stuff is too good to have jus' once, huh? I don' think I eva served a Vulcan before. You even know what ice is, brudda?"

Spock just nodded and browsed the selection. Nyota ordered immediately, a macadamia nut ice cream with a coconut shave ice topping. The vendor went to work slicing at the ice. The powder that was created was finer than dry snow. After he scoped a sizable portion of ice cream into a cup he topped it with the shavings. He then dosed the whole creation with coconut milk and handed it to Nyota.

She took a bite, making sure to get both the ice and the ice cream onto her spoon and gave a moan of satisfaction. Spock's lok twitched once more at the noise but he ignored it just as Nyota was handing him a spoonful of her treat. " Try it." she commanded.

He opened his mouth obediently and closed down on the spoon. The frigid dessert melted into a sweet, soothing liquid that glided down his throat. He felt himself about to pur at the sensation and stopped himself short. It appeared that Nyota had him reacting in all sorts of unsavory ways from taking on dangerous challenges to purring out in public. She was a bad influence but he gladly tolerated her.

" That is indeed a most appetizing dessert. It would do well on Vulcan."

The Vendor scoffed. " It would melt on Vulcan fasta than I could sell 'em."

Spock didn't want to go into the merits of what could and couldn't be done on Vulcan he merely ordered a shave ice of his own.

" My order will be purple sweet potato ice cream with pineapple juice to top the ice. I shall purchase both mine and my date's ice desserts."

Nyota blushed and smiled into her ice cream. He felt a thrill run down his spine at her reaction. She clearly not only enjoyed his appearance but also being claimed as his date. He sampled his order and found that its flavor was quite delectable. After his payment, they traveled down the road and found a secluded area in which to eat. He offered Nyota some of his shave ice as she had earlier. She happily accepted his spoon, closing her eyes as she took it into her mouth. Spock watched her as she hummed happily at the taste, smacking her lips as she finished it.

" Wow if I knew yours would taste like that I would have gotten the same!" she chirped.

" I find both frozen desserts to be enticing." he said digging into his own cup.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nyota's spoon encroaching upon his cup. His brows furrowed as she quickly dipped out as spoonful of his confection. He looked up to see her smiling with narrowed eyes like a cat caught with a canary, giggling as she licked her spoon clean. She reached out to fletch some more but he quickly plucked the spoon from her hands. She stared at her hand as if the spoon had disappeared into thin air. Then she glared at him with pouted lips and whined. " Ahh Spock, c'mon. I wasn't going to take that much." She couldn't keep a straight face and snickered a bit at her all too clear motives.

He wiggled the spoon in her face and felt the urge to smile though he suppressed it and settled for a raised eyebrow.

" Ah, had very little knowledge about Nyotas. It appears that they are impish in nature and live on a diet of shave ice."

She smiled and batted her eyes at him innocently. Spock's eyebrow went higher.

"It appears you would like to regain possession of your eating utensil but I am not certain if you truly want it back." He said as placed the spoon along side his in his cup and held it out of reach. She huffed and tried to reach around him, careful not to touch him but his arm's reach was quite long.

" You may have it back after fulfilling one request." he said calmly.

Nyota held her hands clasped together, shaking them back and forth. " Anything, I'll do anything!"

He exhaled and weighed his options. For what he was about to request, he was not sure if it was grounds to stop their date. On the other hand, the thought of him passing on the opportunity to ask her felt like a pebble in one's shoe. He reasoned that she would be off to school soon, whatever academy that Michael had mentioned earlier and that he would most likely never see her again. The thought troubled him but he took comfort voicing in his request.

" You may receive it back once you have given me a kiss. It will not count towards the kiss I earned earlier by fulfilling your challenge."

Nyota gaped at him but her mouth moved into a crooked smirk as her nose crinkled. She started to lean forward when he raised two of his fingers to her. She halted and glanced down at his hand, furrowing her brows with a frown. " Did I do something wrong? Are you not ready?"

Spock shook his head and gestured with his other hand. " Hold your hand thusly."

Nyota willingly copied his hand's position, no doubt curious about his intentions. He watched her face as he timidly took his hand and stroked her fingers with his own.

Her eyes snapped open widely and she held her breath. He held the digits together and pressed a bit of his contentment towards her.

Nyota's jaw dropped into an open smile. Spock heard her quietly whisper something in a language he did not understand.

When she finally did speak all of her excitement and happiness fizzed over the muted bond his fingers had formed. " Wow, I can...feel you! Is this how Vulcans kiss?" Her curiosity felt itchy and he shrugged it off and took a hold of her joy. It felt warm and comforting. It reminded him of petting a sehlat cub.

" It is a way of expressing emotion without having to rely on facial cues, but yes this gesture is mostly what one would call a kiss. When husbands wish to have their wives attend them, they present their fingers like so."

She nodded her head and pushed back against his fingers as if she were trying to increase the volume of feeling through the bond. Spock found it charming. After she frowned at her results he took pity on her.

" Wait, I will give you more since you seem to enjoy my 'kiss'." He waited until she looked up to then wrapped her in his affection. She shivered and squinted her eyes at the sensation. She bit at her lip while she attempted to feel all of it at once.

" Oh my God, it's so intense! It feels like I'm suspended in deep, warm water that I can breath in. Amazing!" She puffed. When he held it tighter against her she blushed and fluttered her eyelashes. She locked eyes with him, staring intently.

" You...like me?" she asked timidly.

Spock nodded. " Very much, Nyota. I have found your company to be a great source of contentment and your vivacious nature to be...mood altering."

She smiled and asked " Is that all you think of me?"

Spock looked at the hair falling down her shoulder is springy, black waves. He could smell the jasmine scent wafting over his nose. "I have not yet begun to explore all the things I think about you though I will share a few. I find myself very at ease in presence. Things I wouldn't normally do or say, I feel compelled to act out."

He looked at her as he opened his mind to her. "For example, if you were someone else I would find it hard to believe that I would have told you that you are the most aesthetically pleasing female I have ever met. The perfume from a flower lacks the appeal to smell from it all day which I find to be the case with your scent. Your voice when speaking any manner of words is dulcet and soothing to my ears. Though your yelling requires a bit of work to be pleasant."

Up until the last sentiment Nyota's face had shown the delight he could feel trickling over from her. She laughed heartily at his last statement, sarcastically apologizing for the about pain to his ears. He wondered a bit if she meant to cause it.

He felt her earlier happiness folding over and crash up into something even more dizzying than her joy. She liked him a lot. No it was more than that. She accepted him and recognized him accepting her. He swayed a bit and she reached out to steady him. She was so close now. Her lips parted and he felt her cool, sweet smelling breath ghost past his face. He leaned in and kissed her lips, dropping the shave ice that each of them had long forgotten. She took her hand from his shoulder and brushed his face. He purred in response and she broke the kiss with a smack.

" What was that?" she screeched in a voice that was about 1.6 octaves higher than her voice at rest. He blinked the shrillness and then understood her question. More bold now that his affection was returned he took her hands in his and pressed her open palm against his chest. " It is my way of expressing...happiness." he said slowly. his chest rumbling once more. He felt her amazement at his physiology and...her pleasure at provoking the response. She leaned in again and resumed the kiss once more, giggling as his purr grew louder.

They explored each other's mouths, experimenting with their tongues and teeth. Nyota nicked her tongue on one of his many canines and he felt a quick flash of pain through their joined fingers. He stopped and asked if she was well though he knew the cut to be of little consequence. She nodded and swallowed.

" I had no idea your teeth were so sharp! You are the first Vulcan I've ever...you know, kissed." she said as her cheeks grew ruddy. He was glad to have been the first Vulcan that she should experience any intimacy with and he hoped to be her last. Her gaze glazed over as a flood of his possessiveness washed over her.

She didn't smile nor was she quite frowning. He gathered that she did not know what to make of the feeling he held against her.

" You're just one mystery to solve after another Spohkh. Not at all the tiger I thought you might be."

" What do you think of me now?" he asked, stroking her fingers once more. He knew he shouldn't and yet again he was struck with the urge to follow his emotions. He withheld the twinge of guilt he felt as he continued to nurse the bond between him and this fascinating human. His human.

She twisted her lips and nose in thought, looking up as she did so, completely oblivious of what Spock was forming inside of them. She snapped her fingers with the hand that wasn't under his touch as she seized her answer.

" You're like a great, big Le-matya!" she beamed. Her pride in remembering the animal native to his planet became sharper to him with each glide of his fingers.

" Ah, a fearsome predator. I hear they like to hunt Nyotas." he said in a matter of fact fashion, practicing his humor. She giggled. It seemed that he had made yet another joke correctly. Perhaps it was because he did not feel self-conscious around Nyota, though the desire to impress her weighed on him heavily.

" Oh My!" she exclaimed with such exaggeration that even he could tell she was not serious. " Should I be frightened?"

He slid his fingers down her arm and back again and was rewarded with Nyota's shiver. " Certainly, as a Le-matya, not only do I possess saber teeth but I also have poisonous claws at my disposal."

" Will you poison me?"

Her mind became open to Spock in a weak but permanent bond with the last stoke of their fingers. Her eagerness poured over him topped with the dizzy feeling of her affection. It was more than pleasant. It was addictive.

" I have not decided yet."

He drew her in for another kiss.


	2. Ku'e aupuni (Rebel)

**A/N: Hey guys~! Thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this fic, ya'll are just the cat's pajamas! I have two more chapters done in need of review after this one since it seems that folks want this to continue. Again I'll try my very best to entertain whether by LOLs or OMGs. Again thanks to Valyria for all her beta-ing (mostly putting up with my rushing and not correcting simple stuff and general abuse of the English language) and PoorQueequeg for making me laugh ;p. Shaka~!**

He was hard pressed to leave Nyota's side that first day when evening cloaked the sky, but Spock told her, as much to himself, that he would seek out her presence at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. Nyota smiled in the twilight and gently squeezed his hand.

" I knew you would take me out on a date but I didn't think you'd spend the whole day with me, let alone the rest of our time here." she beamed happily. " I thought that you would have gotten bored or something."

He looked at her coppery form and wished then to tell her of the bond and his ever deepening affection for her but the words lumped within his throat. He told her instead that he highly doubted that he would ever tire of her.

Even in the dim light, Spock could see her flush with pleasure and he tilted his head at her leaping steps after his declaration.

Seeing his puzzlement, she laughed and paused beside him. " It's called skipping. Ever heard of it?"

" I have not. Though some forms of dancing I have observed have incorporated the step. Why do you perform it now?"

She skipped around him in a tight circle and sung her reply. " Because the Vulcan boy I like so much likes me back."

Nyota spun in front of him collapsed with a crash onto his torso, in a giggling mess. She blew at the hair that had fallen onto her face and grinned widely.

Spock was at a lost to explain her current behavior. They had not taken any alcohol beverages nor had that eaten anything that would have been...mind altering. Perhaps she was tired?

" Are you well?" Spock asked, his concern hidden from his face and voice.

" Of course! WE'RE IN LOVE~!" she yelled into the open air, screeching with peels of laughter.

The answered suddenly hit him that the bond was to blame. Even with its connection much weaker than that of a familiar bond, it still transmitted quite a bit between them. Shame swelled inside him as he regarded how tightly he had held Nyota inside the confines of the telepathic connection. All of his feelings of elation had been steadily streamed into Nyota as he repressed them. It seemed that in the future he would have to pocket his emotions closer so she would had feed into them. That was until he taught her about the bond and its inner workings, but now was not the time. He immediately put some distance between them and was relived to see her settle down after 4.625 minutes.

As they continued to walk down the road towards the small inn where she and her friends were staying, they quietly held hands once more basking in the feel of their mutual affection. Spock could feel her dismay of having to leave right before he broke contact with her hand. After a day spent kissing, Nyota's parting peck on the cheek seemed quite coy but he found it endearing. And promising. She waved and bid him good night before the inn door cycled closed.

Spock ordered a taxi flitter to his room at the Galactic Hyatt. On the ride home he calculated the probability of his demise atop the waterfall this afternoon. From his estimation there was a 42% chance of injury and a 23.5% of him becoming mortally wounded and/or killed. He had read about the native males to Kauai centuries ago jumping off the falls as a coming of age ritual or to prove themselves worthy of marriage. Many lose their lives in the process, either dying from the force of impact against the water or miscalculating and hitting the rocks off to the sides. They eventually did away with the ritual having lost so many of their men to it. Even with him taking into account his heavier bone density and mass overall it was a illogical risk to take and yet not for one moment did he regret the jump.

He exited the flitter and walked across the immaculately landscaped hotel grounds towards his suite. As he entered he noted the flashing red light of his room's comm and grew leery. He had not given Nyota his number so who had called him?

He ignored it and instead took care of his needs and started his nightly routine. His mind was racing and in desperate need of mediation. He could not stop his thoughts from turning back towards Nyota. Everything from the flowery hotel shampoo during his shower to the coconut curry dish that room service provided him made Spock think of her. Maybe she wasn't the only one affected by the bond?

As Spock ate, his eyes darted back to the comm's flashing bulb from his dinner plate. A pit formed in his stomach. He had not been expecting any calls nor could he think of anything so important that it merited the action. Unless of course there was an accident or a death. Staving the message off long enough, the pulled up the message onto the video display and pressed play.

The striking image of his father appeared and he felt himself bristle.

Why would he himself be calling and not his mother on his behalf? And of all times during a holiday? He reached out distantly, pulling against his familiar bonds and felt everyone to be safe and sound and withdrew quickly before anyone became aroused with concern at his presence. So no illnesses or deaths to report, what then did that leave? As if reading his mind the message after its formalities got to the heart of the matter.

" It had come to your grandmother's attention that you have bonded with someone. Surely this must have been done with a miscalculation on your part."

He tensed and narrowed his eyes. Nyota was hardly a miscalculation to him. She was a chance opportunity that he seized most readily. The message continued on.

" Come home at once if you find that the bond you created is permanent and Mother T'Pau will remove it with haste with no harm to your person."

But what would happen to Nyota, could she herself be harmed? He cut off the rest of the message and went to the balcony for meditation, too irritated to continue.

If and when he did visit his family home, he would evade and parry every hint and question towards his bond to Nyota. Vulcans did not lie; they avoided telling the truth.

He exhaled and gathered his thoughts like scraps of paper page that he wished to piece whole. Focus on the pieces one by one against a field of black.

_Inhale...Starfleet: career, opportunity, rewarding, disciplined, new position..._

He locked the piece down into a corner and pulled at the next.

_Exhale...Family: sharing bonds and blood, aggravating, distressing, miscommunication, obligated to act on their behalf..._

He tucked this piece beside Starfleet, some of the edges overlapped either on top or bottom. The rest of the pieces he let flutter down where they may and tape them onto and around Starfleet and family. He kept one piece for last and released it after the flurry of the others had subsided.

_Inhale...Nyota, most beautiful, intelligent, cool to his touch, warm to his affections, alluring, exciting, his..._

Upon his next exhalation he placed her down onto of everything and found the tattered page complete in her and his mind at rest. It was soothing. It was not total peace, not with his family commanding that he put away the bond, but it was close. His ever racing and moving mind slowed its whirlwind movement to a refreshing zephyr. He breathed deeply and found his body loose and relaxed.

His nictating membrane of his inner eyelid slide away revealing the starry night sky. It had only been 13.7 minutes Spock had been meditating and he had felt more settled within himself than he had since reaching puberty.

Thinking of Nyota, he saw her as a potential gateway into the inner realms of his nirvana. Perhaps Vulcans paired off their young seeing the ache and the need for them not to be alone. No, it was not good to be alone.

Spock rose and returned to his room punching the record button on the hotel's comm console. He choose audio only, not wanting neither his father or mother trying to glean what they could from any facial expression he may make, no matter how slight.

" Father, the bond, if that's what it actually is, is nothing for you or grandmother to trouble yourself about."

_...not a lie but..._

" Anything that might result from any supposed bond that I may happen to form is something that is well within my power to control. If I have any problems, we will be in contact."

_...not quite the truth..._

" Peace and Long Life."

Spock tapped send and deleted his father's message from the hotel's memory banks.

He slept heavily that night.


	3. Kamoho Keiki (The shark god's son)

_Spock...I can't wait...come here...Spohkh-kam..._

Spock groaned and rolled over onto his side.

_Spohkh...where are you..._

He squinted his closed eyes as he reached out and held her sending her his sleepy calmness. She bubbled and tingled with excitement and settled down the longer he held her. He remembered observing the same reaction in champagne when opened and poured.

He purred as he felt her caress him back, half hoping that she would scratch behind his ears.

He bolted up right and scanned his room. What..had happened? Spock looked down at his bed but it was void of anyone else. Had he dreamed of her? Even the thought of dreaming was illogical, Vulcans did not dream.

He felt another brush against his mind and exhaled. It was Nyota through their bond. He figured it was she that was dreaming of him. The thought of her equally affected by his presence pleased him to no end and he tenderly cradled her mind against his. The fizzy feeling returned but calmed more quickly. It was 5:06 in the morning and he knew this to be within a human's normal sleep hours.

He shuffled out of bed and got ready for the day. In between sending the reply to his father and sleeping that night he had downloaded and read three different human dating guides.

For research, of course.

Vulcans never had the need to date so he felt himself not only at a disadvantage when it came to human behavior but also at their perplexing courtship rituals. Each country and region had their own, each more daunting than the last and he choose to settle on Western traditions with a mix of Kenyan for good measure. He was disheartened to see how much dancing was involved in both Western and African traditions but he felt if he overcompensated in other areas he could get away with not engaging in that behavior.

Spock dressed in a simple gray T-shirt, his black board shorts and a plain pair of black thong sandals. He grabbed a one strap shoulder bag and set out for the hotel's lobby. He selected a number of beach ads, memorized them and neatly tucked them back into their slots.

After his display yesterday within the male hierarchy he was now intent on 'wooing' his female with a series of events and gift leading up to their eventual marriage bond.

He paused and held the thought in his mind. Perhaps that would be moving too fast for Nyota? Humans courted for a good deal longer than Vulcans which was not at all. The human mating process could take months, if not years to finalize. He reasoned with enough reading and attention to detail he could surely win Nyota's heart, hand and mind in Vulcan marriage in a matter of days. A week at the longest. He brightened at the prospect of obtaining his mate through scientific methodology.

The gift shop was closed so he ordered a taxi flitter to a Rigelian supermarket which was on the way towards Nyota's inn. There he purchased flowers, chocolate candies, ingredients for a picnic and photo recorder. He knew human's memories not to be as accurate as a Vulcans so he reasoned that Nyota having photos of their interactions together would bring about feelings of longing and nostalgia. A preferable outcome.

He hopped back into the flitter and the automated system sped towards the inn. His internal clock read as being 15 minutes early so he arranged his purchase in his shoulder bag and walked to her door. He knocked and moments later was face to face with a blue eyed blonde. She blinked sleepily at him and told him they were good on ice.

Spock furrowed his brows a bit. " I am not sure of what you mean. Is this another slang term for salutations in the morning?"

Now the blonde looked confused and closed the door in his face. The aluminum was not too thick to hide her grumbling weirdo and the muffled argument between her and Nyota.

Nyota appeared seconds later, grinning. Though her smile did not extend as far a Denobulan's, he could see where the expression ' smiling from ear to ear' came from.

"Spohkh-kam! I couldn't wait for you to come!" she bounced.

" Clearly you could wait, I found you here." he clarified.

She blew a raspberry at him and Spock found himself trying to remember if that was listed anywhere in his dating books. His searched yielded no results. This was getting off to a troubling start.

" I have a gift of flowers and confections for you." he said handing her his gift.

Her eyes widened in surprised and she happily took the gifts from his hands. He noticed she did not avoid touching his hands. Interesting.

" Oh wow! I love chocolate covered macadamia nuts, how'd you know? And these flowers!" she sniffed and exhaled a sigh. " They smell awesome. Thank you so much, Spohkh."

" No thank you is necessarily. It was my...pleasure to do so." he said faltering over the word pleasure. It was strange to say such an expressive thing aloud.

She put her hand on his chest and reached up on her toes for a quick kiss on his lips. He stood stunned as she raced back into the room saying something about a vase and water. He blinked and the door was closed again. What? He was about to knock again when the door spun open once more with Nyota bounding out of it with a pair of helmets and the small pack she wore yesterday.

" Catch." she yelled throwing the helmet at his chest. He caught it with a thud and examined the head gear.

" Nyota, why have you given me this helmet?"

She removed her ponytail holder and shook out her hair before fitting her helmet onto her head.

" Because we're gonna ride today."

And with that she snapped the visor shut and strolled over to a parked hoverbike. Spock quickly put on his helmet to mask any dismay he might have been showing. He had not predicted this as one of today's events. It did make getting around the small garden isle a lot easier but Nyota biking him around was...well he had no words for it. He sat behind her and kicked out his footrest, familiar with the layout of most bikes. She slid on her riding gloves and started the bike, revving the engine as she adjusted her weight. She was wearing a maroon tank top, khaki shorts ( if they could be could that), an orange bikini beneath and swim shoes. He could not stop himself from speaking.

" Nyota, neither of us, especially you are dressed properly to operate or ride upon this vehicle. A flitter would be 87.6% safer."

She revved the engine and he could hear her laughter through the speaker in his helmet.

" What? Are you afraid? Don't tell me someone that jumped off of Wailua Falls without so much as batting an eye is now quoting statistic to me about hover bike safety."

He swallowed. " It is for your safety that I am concerned."

_...not quite a lie..._

" Sure...I'm sure it is." And with that she sped out of the parking lot. Spock clutched at her waist not expecting the sudden movement and he felt a jolt from her in the bond. She squealed and pulled out onto the road, going 17 miles over the speed limit Spock noticed. He half hoped they would be pulled over by the authorities but surprisingly enough though she did speed she appeared to be a safe driver otherwise. She pulled into a small lot with a peculiar sign. Painted onto it was a frightened human male with snorkel gear inside the mouth of a _Carcharodon carcharias_, Great White Shark.

" We need to pick up some snorkel gear before we hit the beach. That helmet looks like it fits you pretty good, I'll grab you one." She was off the bike and in the store before he had a chance to ask her about the sign.

" Perhaps it is a warning to potential customers?" he mumbled to himself. It did not bode well and he could not see the sign working well to improve profits. Nyota ran back out of the store putting on her helmet as she went and sped off once more towards what Spock assumed from the signs was the tunnels beach. The overhanging foliage and vines on the way there was growing on Spock. He now started to associate this lush, verdant place with his conquest and his female. Both were wild and lively and irresistibly attractive to humanoids. He wrapped his arms more tightly about her, relishing the give of her body to his touch.

" Like what you see back there?" she teased.

" Oh yes. Very much." he said as he scented the hair streaming out of her helmet.

She chuckled and pulled off onto a well worn drive way near a house for sale.

" Is it permissible to park here?" Spock asked skeptically.

" It's okay with the realtors, they're hoping the house may sell to someone who stops by and falls in love with the beach."

He nodded, feeling comforted that they're mode of transportation would not be towed away. They navigated down a rocky path towards the scenic shoreline. He had not been to this beach yet but on the ride over Nyota had gushed that it was her favorite. In fact as soon as their feet hit sand Nyota spirited towards the water, striping as she ran. Spock halted and watched her.

Long, lean muscles flexed and bunched beneath her rich brown skin and glittered as she splashed into the water. Her shock at the coolness reached him through the bond first before her startled yelp did.

" Wow, that's brisk!" she said splashing her body with the water to grow accustom to the temperature.

Spock still stood under the tree line swallowing hard and staring at her. He hadn't seen her in only her bikini. He found it pulled at him in a way that was quite uncomfortable to be like at the beach. He casually adjusted their bags and walked casually with them in front of his crotch. She hopped out from the water and over towards him. " Do you mind putting sun screen on my back? I got the rest of my body this morning before I left but you came by before I could finish."

Yes he did mind because he wanted to too much. " Certainly. Lay on top of your towel and I will do so."

She fluffed out her towel, laid down and wiggled a bit to get comfortable on the sandy ground. He knelt beside her and took the tube of sunblock from her bag rubbing a dollop of it on his hands. The first contact his fingers made with her skin made him groan but he recovered quickly by coughing.

" You okay?" she murmured into the towel.

" Fine." he answered, his voice strained with tension.

As smoothed the lotion onto her velvety skin he found it hard to keep his hands from wandering lower. He grit his teeth as she asked for more in between her shoulder blades and lower back. The shoulders went without a hitch but her lower back really taxed his control. His fingers were so close to the swell of her bottom that it hurt him to look as he worked. If he was not actively holding his lust at bay he would have found himself plucking the strings of her bikini loose. She jumped up and thanked him, saving him from falling from grace.

" Do you need me to get your back as well? I don't want you to patina on me over here." She chuckled.

He wanted her hands on him but did not know if he could risk it. The truth of the matter was he did not need sunblock growing up under the harshness of Vulcan's light. So he settled instead on telling her Vulcans do not undergo the chemical process of patina on their skin. " Sol's rays do not cause me to oxidize. You may apply the sunblock." he said simply, pulling off his shirts.

_...not quite the truth..._

She grabbed the tube from him and spurted the lotion directly onto his shoulders. It was cold but he did not stir. Only when she touched him, rubbing and stroking the block in with her small, cool hands did he find it hard not to fidget. The urge to flip her back onto the towel and kiss her was almost too much to bear. Two, soft lumps gently pressed against his back as she reached from behind to apply some of the screen to his ears.

He growled and choked out her name. " Nyota, I am sufficiently covered you may stop now."

" Great! Let's go snorkel!"

She tugged at his hands to help him to his feet. Unnecessary but kind.

He gathered the snorkel gear and hoped that the bulge in his shorts were not too obvious. From her lecherous glance he could that it was. He handed her the snorkel gear with a tiny grimace and adjusted his own onto his face.

" I spotted some monk seals further down the way. Stands to reason that we may see some in the water."

" That is a logical conclusion. Perhaps afterwards we could have lunch, I have all the items necessary for a picnic?"

Nyota nodded in agreement thanking him for thinking ahead and lead the way into the water. He checked off have picnic in his head and felt a measure of relief that his plan to charm her was not totally off course. Courting an earth woman was tiring although well worth the energy in his opinion. Maybe that's why it took human males so long to finalize their courtship with one. He had a new found respect for his father dating his mother before their marriage.

They walked out and sunk into the crystal blue waters of the surround reef. Everything was in motion. The water was ebbing, fish darted from coral to coral stopping a moment or two to give both of them a look over and reef itself fanned its sea anemones back and forth with the push and pull of each wave. Nyota's hair was a inky mass of tendrils swirling about her head. A few of the braver fish took a bite or two at it and he saw her poking them away with a smile. The swam further out and along the reef until the came to it's edge.

He found himself suspended above a deep blue abyss, feeling very small not unlike his times of space walking. Being exposed to how enormous both space and the oceans of earth were gave him a greater sense of how...fascinating life was. Nyota kicked and dove deeper and Spock tailed her toward the middle of the reef bed. She spun to face him as she spotted a group of vivid blue ringed octopi. He motioned to Nyota pointing to his finger and shaking his head for her not to touch them. He was unsure of its venom on Vulcans but for Nyota it would without a doubt prove deadly. She nodded and suddenly to motion franticly at him, trying to reach him and swam to her right at the same time. The bond between them flared to life, strongly projected her words into his mind.

_/...SHARK!.../ _

He turned in time to see a foot long set of jaws flying through the water towards Nyota. Spock blocked its path, pushing her out of the way and shielding his head with his arm. The slender shark clamped down and twisted its body to set the hook of his teeth into his humerus and was met with the tough resistance of Vulcan muscle. The water became a murky green haze as his blood was released. Spock looked over in pain and horror at the large Blacktip reef shark's lithe body went flailing at his side, tugging his arm trying to rip out a hunk of his flesh but to no avial. And there was Nyota.

She launched herself onto the creature with no thought of her own welfare, just instinctually trying to protect him. She punched at its snout, its scales ripping at her skin as she did so but she did not stop until it released him. It dipped down and in a sudden burst of speed and was gone from his sight.

Spock felt shocked but Nyota acted for him, encircling him with her arms and kicking up towards the surface. They broke through and she yelled at him to compress the wound. He did so obediently and hung limply in her struggling arms. As much as he could he kicked along with her. He walked shakily onto the shore, Nyota sinking under his weight and they collapsed a few yards from their bags. A number of people ran over and offered assistance to which Nyota replied with requested supplies. She rolled over and fetched her tank, taking it between her teeth and ripping it into long strips. Someone came with a pain hypo in case of a man of war sting and Nyota held it to his neck.

The good Samaritan apologized for not having anything more." It's for humans, I don't know if it will help him."

" It...it will help." Spock stammered, he was half human after all. He felt light-headed now that the pain was subsiding. He felt a sharp sting as Nyota yanked something from his bicep. He looked up and saw a jagged tooth that the sharp had left behind.

" Looks like he wanted to leave a little something for you to remember him by." Nyota chuckled weakly, pouring clean water on his wound before sitting him up to wrap it.

" On the contrary, since I can not forget, I believe the tooth is for you and your valor. Thank you, Nyota."

She sniffled holding back unshed tears as she tied off the bindings. " I don't think I could ever forget it, lousy human memory or not. No Thank you is necessary Spohkh."

Spock reached out with two fingers not waiting for all the people to clear. " Attend me."

Nyota readily received his touch and flinched a bit as she felt his pain. He tucked it away and sought out her affection. It was like walking into a hazy afternoon after a sun shower, surrounding him, prickling his skin and making it hard to breath. He felt her pain too and was reminded of her hand. " You are injured."

She looked down and shrugged. " Well worth it."

He grabbed the towel and tore off a long thin strip. She held her had flat as he washed it with the remaining water and slowly wrapped it. He had to abandon her touch to do so but returned to hold her hand soon after.

" Are you hungry?" he asked not forgetting to check off have picnic off his list.

She looked him the eye and started howling uncontrollably with laughter.

" What do you find so humorous?"

She wiped away a few tears before replying. " You're such a man! You get almost eaten by a shark and you're asking about food?"

Nyota held her side and continued to laugh much to Spock's chagrin.

" Wait till I tell this to my new roommate in Starfleet Academy. It will be a great ice breaker. I read that she's Orion. She'll probably get a hoot out of it!"

He withdrew his hand before his horror transferred over to her. She noticed his sudden silence and asked what was the matter.

" Nothing to be concerned about, just some discomfort from the bite."

_...not quite the truth..._

" Oh my God! We should totally get you to the hospital!" she said suddenly panicking at his supposed increased in pain. She started trying to pick him out but he drew her back down to the ground.

" It is not necessary, the shark's bite was not able to penetrate deeper than half an inch at most. I will need to mediate for a while. Once a healing trance is performed I will be good to continue in your company. For a wound like this it would take 20 or so hours to knit the muscle and skin back together."

" But won't you scar?"

" Yes, but I do not wish to remove it. It is a memento of how much you care for me that I do not have more."

She smiled gently and rose up off the ground. " Do you want me to stay with you during your healing? I can fetch you things that you need well you rest up?"

He shook his head. " No need, I shall be in a deep state of rest and will not be able to interact with you."

She nodded and gathered their things. " Come on I'll take you home, shark bait."

After she arrived to the hotel she handed him a flyer and her comm number. " I know you'll be sore and probably not wanting to do anything but if you can please come to my hula performance. I've been practicing for a while and finally got the opportunity to do a recital. Call me if you can't make it or need anything. Take care."

She leaned over kissed his mouth. He straightened with a grunt and waved her good bye. " I shall ever endeavor to make it to your performance."

She grinned and rode away, leaving him with his troubled thoughts. First his family now, now Starfleet, this was most difficult.

_...whole truth..._

He would tell her of the bond tomorrow.

._..not quite a lie..._

A/N: So I kinda come to the defense of the shark. I will be the first to admit that an attack like this is unlikely to happen, given the nature of Blacktip reef shark. Before I took on Graphic Design I was studying to be a Marine biologist. I was more interested in dolphin and small baleen whales and their social behavior but I found sharks cool too. They usually get a bad rap and unless you're directly in the way of their food/prey (like those blue ring octopi), swimming around in chum or look a good deal like their food they're not gonna go for you. At most they may nibble you and be like " Blah, that's horrible and stringy" (they like fat). Problem is a taste may incorporate a chunk of your arm, leg or side. They may lurk around and check you out all sketchy like but they're curious and they're predators. Gives a new meaning Spock-topus.

This was a struggle to write but I think it's rewarding. Thanks everyone for sticking with me.


	4. Mohala (Bloom)

**A/N: Ahola, everybody! Hope everyone's enjoying the ride, after this chapter it's going to get a bit bumpy. (1 A/N)This Pele hula chant was found on sacred-text dot com. Not anything I made up, it is in fact a traditional dance. That Nyota solo chant though, yeah the Hawaiians didn't do it nor do they want it LOL. Review pretty please so I can know how to direct some of the next chapters :) trying to keep this poi dog interesting ;p. Valyria beta'd again though I wrote in a lot of stuff afterwards so any thing that causes a side eye (spelling, grammar, etc.) it was me, LOL. Shaka~!**

He woke from his healing trance with an hour to spare to arrive to Nyota's hula recital on time. He did a quick mental check list of his current condition and found himself to be functioning satisfactory.

His arm did not ache but there was a dark emerald bruise surrounding the teeth indentions around his bicep. He lightly ran his finger across the teeth marks and was pleased to see that it was not tender to the touch nor did they reopen.

Spock placed a hand his temple and winced. He did have a slight headache though, probably from dehydration. He poured himself a glass of water from the sink, sipping it though his body wanted desperately to chug it. Spock would have none of it, he was a high born Vulcan after all. He continued to refill it until he found his thirst was diminished.

He hurried into the shower and reviewed his relationship check list. Things went well with the flowers and chocolates, though they did not get to share a meal yet with the shark's rude interruption on their day out to the beach. Spock could not qualify their shave ice dessert as a meal, it was a single sweet course at the very most. Then there was playful teasing and joking to strength their friendship and the creation of what one book called ' inside jokes'. Spock did not think they had one yet as it was a bit early for him to lovingly take on the name 'shark bait'. He raked the shampoo through his hair as he thought of what to do next.

Spock did not want to dance so he crossed that off. It would be too soon to...'consummate' their relationship, so he put that further down on his to do list. He could tell her more about himself? Like being a commander in Starfleet or having formed a permanent bond between them. He rinsed the shampoo out and the soap off and turned off the shower head.

Spock bent a bit and braced himself against the tile wall. His heart rate had increased and he found himself breathing more heavily. Spock allowed himself a small frown at his body's reaction to telling her all he knew. He paused and started a short breathing exercise. What had triggered it? He was quiet before he spoke the answer aloud.

" I am afraid."

Yes, that was it, he was afraid. Fearful of Nyota's possibly angry reaction to the truth, scared of her rejection but most of the possibility of losing her. He calmed himself further with a logical plan of action. He would not keep these things from her forever, perhaps for just a while longer until he found the most convenient time to divulge the information. Nyota would surely have questions and it was best to be prepared with answers at hand. Yes, he would wait. Even if she did get angry the likelihood of her staying upset with him for longer than a day were slim. Nyota did after all care for him a great deal unlike other human that still tolerated his alienness, even after he had offended them unknowingly.

Spock dressed quickly and left the hotel in a taxi flitter waiting outside. Tonight Spock planned to check romantic dinner off of his list. He made sure to check his comm on the ride over if she had left any messages about a change or cancelation in the program. Spock scrolled through and found none from her but one from Starfleet detailing his classes. He clicked on the missive and reviewed the listing feeling his heart start to race once more.

Spock displayed a calm that he currently did not possess as he exited the flitter. Finding Nyota's _Halau_ ( school of hula) was simple enough and he spied one last seat in the front row. As Spock sat he took a number of slow, deep breaths. His relationship with Nyota was growing increasingly difficult. Only four days into their bond and their prospective future did not bode well.

He read and reread his roster for his phonology I class in the upcoming fall semester on his comm screen but it remained unchanged since his flitter ride over.

There at the very bottom was Uhura, Nyota: Freshman.

He had not thought to ask her about her schooling when they first met. Instead Spock had been too busy 'flirting' and practicing his humor on her. Now, because he followed an illogical impulse, he found himself bonded to a freshman cadet. Worse yet he was also her commanding officer and instructor.

_Nirak_ he thought to himself. He was the very definition of a Vulcan fool, acting on emotions on a given situation rather than the logic. How could his mind have abandoned him at such a critical time and given way to his heart?

He snapped his attention to the stage just as the _Alaka'i_ ( Hula teacher) took to the corner of the stage. He was adorned in ferns with circlets around his limbs and atop his head. An _Ipu_(large hollow drumming gourd) was positioned in front of him, held in place between his massive tattooed arms.

" _Ahola_ and _Mahalo_, everyone. Tonight our school is going to do a bit of a twist on _Hula Kahiko_, traditional hula, by having Pele, the godess of fire and vulcanos, strike out from her search of a home to look for a companion. As with everything Pele does, she does so with a passion and boldness."

The teacher turned to his line of dancers standing off to the left hand side and shouted. " _E makaukau_ (Ready)?"

His students sung back to him, voices booming into the air and hurting his ears. Maybe he shouldn't have sat in the front.

" _Emakaukau_ (Ready)!"

Immediately after the words left their lips, the teacher slammed down the _Ipu_ and thundered out a beat. The line transformed into a living organism of sound and movement, steps and arm gestures all in unison, directed by the beat and sound teacher's ululating voice. They answered in between his chant and a sense of anticipation swelled within him. Nyota? She buzzed with excitement against his mind. He did not see her among the wriggling mass of bodies. Spock's eagerness to see her grew.

Spock glanced at his playbill in which the chant had been translated for those who were not familiar with the Hawaiian language. As with everything he saw and experienced he involuntarily committed the script to memory, freeing his eyes to take in the performance.

He read:

_A Kauai, a ke olewa a iluna,_

_Ka pua lana i kai o Wailua;_

_Nana mai Pele ilaila;_

_E waiho aku ana o Ahu. _

_Aloha i ka wai niu o ka aina;_

_E ala mai ana mokihana,_

_Wai auau o Hiiaka._

_Hoo-paapaa Pele ilaila;_

_Aohe Kau e ulu ai._

_Keehi aku Pele i ka ale kua-loloa,_

_He onohi no Pele, ka oaka o ka lani, la.  
Eli-eli, kau mai!_

_Translation:_

_To Kauai, lifted in ether,_

_A floating flower at sea of Wailua-_

_That way Pele turns her gaze,_

_She's bidding adieu to Oahu,_

_Loved land of new wine of the palm._

_There comes a perfumed waft-mokihana-_

_The bath of the maid Hiiaka._

_Scene it was once of Pele's contention,_

_Put by for future attention._

_Her foot now spurns the long-backed wave;_

_The phosphor burns like Pele's eye,_

_Or a meteor-flash in the sky._

_Finished the prayer, enter, possess! (1 A/N)_

The line halted at the end of his song and called out in voices loud and shrill. The lights dimmed and a resounding stomp wavered through the air. Another deafening footfall and then another until the spotlight flooded the center stage. There, Nyota stood and Spock's breathing hitched. She looked terrifying just as much as she was gorgeous.

Nyota's wrists and ankles were roped in oily, red leaves, her skirt was streams of dead, faded flowers strung from a belt of bright yellow feathers. A bouquet of ashen ferns crowed her teased and billowing hair. Her blood shot eyes were heavily lined with mascara and darted about wildly. She found him and sneered.

The music resumed and she began to hula in a turbulent frenzy. The teacher and the rest of the line repeated their verses as Nyota stomped and twirled about the stage, her eyes never once leaving his. If he were superstitious he would say she appeared possessed by the spirit of fire itself, her demeanor was so changed.

Nyota rocked from the flats to the balls of her feet and she rolled her hips in a way that Spock had never known humans to be able to do. Each swing of her belt, turn of her head and reach of her arms was precise and aggressive. Spock felt challenged with each passing movement the choreography demanded of her body, awakening his Vulcan possessiveness. The drumming felt like it was coming out his ears as he continued to take in her agile form.

Jumping down to her knees, she started wailing a goading song:

_All would want,_

_but none can have,_

_All would burn in the flames of my passion,_

_Where others lost,_

_so you would lose as well,_

_In Maui they shuttered._

_From Oahu they shied from me._

_To Kauai I come,_

_daring any and all,_

_Come and try,_

_Take on Pele!_

_I shall swallow you whole,_

_and watch as you are consumed _

_by the fire you kindled within me!_

_Take on Pele,_

_Mighty Pele,_

_Who could stand before me?_

_Who could stand against me?_

_No man, No God,_

_All would want _

_but none can have._

Nyota glared at Spock with a confrontational smirk and hopped back up to her feet in a squat. She swung her hips and gestured with hands as she listed her feminine charms.

The line finally joined her and tore her way through them as if searching among them for her equal. She looked like lava racing through the jungle towards the waves. Each dancer Nyota encountered would shimmy to the ground as if burned and killed. She continued her rampage until they all kneeled before her.

She approached the edge in a running step and roared out to the crowd her macabre attire trembling about her.

None can tame Pele,

None can quench fire!

Then the stage when black.

A moment of silence passed before the audience clamored up and applauded. Spock winced from where he was seated and stared at Nyota when the stage lights lit back up.

Everyone on the platform bowed and graciously received any tokens that were offered to them. A number of Nyota's friends appeared before the stage, whooping and showering her with praise. Nyota thanked each person who approached her and shook their hand vigorously. Spock anger flared at the males' lingering gazes upon her body but he took small comfort as he touched her within the bond. She froze midsentence and looked over to where he was sitting. He inclined his head and she excused herself away from the confused Ferengi.

" You summoned the great Pele?" she chuckled as she came to stand before him.

His mind yet again examined and noted the behavior of this evening. Though he had proven himself bravest and strongest among the males and his female accepted his presence he had yet to prove himself worthy of her attentions. Yes, he could possibly provide sturdy and healthy young but did he enrapture her? He needed not only to woo her but to claim her and gain her submission. The Vulcan in him relished the notion, while human aspects of him seemed equally excited at the prospect.

" Indeed. I challenge you Pele and take you on as my mate."

Nyota's eye widen a bit at his declaration but she continued along in her playful mood not knowing him to be serious.

" Oh you dare challenge me, Fire and Lava come to life? How do you hope to survive my flames of passion?"

Spock's lower eyelids lifted in his people's version of a smile. " All that came before me were human and I am Vulcan. Where they would run from your fire I would embrace it. When they would be killed by your flames I would refine from it."

Nyota unwittingly reached out to him in the bond and he could feel her lust for him mounting. She stepped forward into his space, more than what would be socially acceptable for a Vulcan's comfort and looked up at him through her dark, slitted eyes. The whites were still a bloody red and circled with think eyeliner. As she exhaled onto his face, he briefly let out a low growl.

" So you are not afraid of my inferno?" she asked. The double meaning of her words was not lost to him as Spock felt the budding flower of her love towards him.

" No, Nyota. I yearn for it." And he felt her bloom.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Sorry for the delay and the inevitable typos I missed.

Spock waited out in front of the school as Nyota finished receiving fans and well-wishers and changed out of her hula wear.

The evening was chilly with the sunset, the coolest he had ever felt it during his stay upon the island. He considered moving their dinner and conversation indoors for the sake of comfort when a familiar face came into view. He smoothly suppressed his surprise as Chief Medical Officer Mark Piper came sauntering up to him with a look of disbelief.

" Do my eyes deceive me or is that Spock!? My, my, looks like Hawai'i beauty in fact attracts everyone that even Vulcans will vacation here. Not that you or any of your kin would ever call it that, probably something to the tune of recreational travel or a meditative exploration. How are you doing?" he looked at Spock with an outstretched hand before a flash of remembrance crossed over his features and laughed at himself.

" Silly me too much time planetside, excuse my manners."

Spock dipped his head with a slight nod. " No offense is taken Dr. Piper. As to your earlier question I am well and indeed engaged in a 'vacation' as ordered."

Dr. Piper had the good grace not to laugh but he did nod in agreement with a big smirk on his face.

The expression was not lost on Spock.

" I see. Well did you enjoy the show?" he asked with a jerk of his thumb towards the school."

" It was a singularly emotive performance." Spock commented dryly, tucking his hands behind his back. He hoped to see the doctor off before Nyota arrived. Introducing the two could complicate matters. Spock still need to tell Nyota about his position in Starfleet among other things. Having to explain her of the whole truth now as if he never intended on telling her at all would not bode well.

Mark widened his eyes and gave a ' Ooo.' to his response. " That's high praise coming from you, Spock. It wouldn't happen to be due to all the beautiful dancing ladies up on stage now, would it?"

Spock lifted a brow as a way of answering. He couldn't lie and deny Nyota had not heavily influenced his enjoyment of the dance but he felt that his reply or lack thereof would spike Dr. Piper's interest anyway. Even now he could see a twinkle in his eye as if he were about to interrogate Spock for direct answers.

" Mark. Mark where are you?" a light voice called out. The doctor groaned and waved to an attract woman waving back at him from the parking lot.

" Ah, that's the Misses. Shouldn't keep her waiting, we're off to a Luau or some such thing. I'd just as soon grab something from a poi dog stand but she'll have none of that. Uh, listen, comm me if you're going to be stuck here on the island for a bit longer. You know, serving out your orders." he winked and gave Spock an impish smile before departing.

" Who was that?"

Spock flinched in surprise as he turned to see Nyota standing beside him curiously eyeing the Doctor as he joined his wife in their flitter and buzzed away.

Spock squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. " He is a work associate."

Not quite a lie...

" Oh? What does he do?" she said looping her arm around his. He looked around nervously, worried that another Starfleet officer might be lurking about when Nyota touched his face to gain his attention.

" Who are you looking for? Why are you so worried?" she said with a touch of concern. Trying to lighten the mood she jab his ribs, unknowingly right where his heart was hammering up against them and joked. " You have a girlfriend I don't know about?"

Well...not exactly a girlfriend...more like an ex fiancee...but he wasn't concerned about her...

He looked down at Nyota puzzled as to how she had picked up on so much of his mood when he had done so well at keeping his face clear and emotion-free. Ah, their bond, she had been feeding off of his tension and trying to pinpoint the source of it. He spared her the smallest smile before tapping his fingers against hers.

" Would you care to dine with me, t'hai'la?" he asked softly, pleased to see her still heavily lined eyes flutter and her cheeks blush at his endearment.

" I'd be delighted to Spock. Oh you know what!" she said with a snap of her fingers. " My friend Tiana told me about a Luau..."

" No!"

She tilted her head and scrunched up her features in confusions. " Oh...you don't like Luaus?"

Spock in his effort to avoid Mark Piper shouted as soon as he heard the first syllable for Luau. He needed to recover or else she would sense his panic. " It is not that, I simply wished to spend time alone with you."

Not quite the truth...

This answer pleased her and she hugged at his arm, inadvertently crushing her chest against him. " Sounds like fun. Where to then? It sounds like you already have a place in mind?"

" My hotel."

She swallowed and nibbled on her lip. " Oh, your hotel? Like in your room, alone?"

Her apprehension pricked at his skin with a tingling numbness up his limb and he looked back at Nyota and fleetingly cupped her face.

" You need not worry about doing anything...inappropriate, Nyota. I hope you do not take my request for dinner as a covert proposal for sexual relations."

This time her eye widened in shock and she batted at his chest. " No, Spock! I mean, it's good to know your not trying to use dinner in your room as a way to get in my pants but sheesh, cool it with the sex talk in front of my classmates!" she hissed in a hushed tone as she scanned the crowd.

It looked like both of them wanted to be rid of this scene of people. " I apologize. We shall order room service and enjoy each other's company and nothing more, agreed?"

Nyota nodded her head and dragged him over to her hoverbike. Oh no, not this again.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I'm working on the last couple of chapters and hope to update soon. Thank you everybody for being so nice and waiting around for me to get a chance to update. Once I'm through, I'm reviewing the whole thing for typos and posting it on my AO3 account KerryLamb. In the meantime, go and read Darkwood Princess's newest story Misery, it's so cute. OH and Valyria has a new S/A story out now as well as her AU one, each is thoroughly enjoyable. PoorQueequeg is busy atm but working on marvelous things I assure you. Shaka~!

After a short, nauseating ride over to his Hotel, Spock led Nyota through the lobby towards his room, observing the curious glances being cast their way, many of them given by the men looking at Nyota draped around Spock's arm.

" Do I have something on my shirt?" Nyota asked wondering at the attention they were gaining.

" Negative. I think it when it comes to being in the presence of the Great Pele, mere mortals lose their manners and gawk openly."

Nyota snorted and swatted at his chest. " You're really getting the hang of humor, Spock! You better watch out or people might mistake you for a Romulan or an augmented human!"

" I can only hope to be so insulted." he teased, looking down at her as she chuckled. The slim bond better them thrummed with her good-humored happiness and Spock plucked at the feeling that was both alien and familiar to him.

Where had he felt this before? Spock reviewed his memory and a vision of his mother, laughing unguarded in the privacy of their library over a book came to mind.

" Ko-mekh are you ill?" he inquired. He was young, just old enough to speak with her and he had never seen her in such a state. Yes, she would smile here and there and make an interesting huffing noise at times when she commed her relatives living on Earth but he could not recall her being in such...hysterics.

At his question, she doubled over and laughed even harder and he slowly made his way to the door, unsure if such a fit was contagious.

Spock looked in horror to find that her eyes were leaking as well. She must have been in extreme pain he thought. He had see such pictures in terran children's literature, humans crying when put under great duress but his mother was smiling as oppose to...what was the word...frowning, yes the action of holding one's mouth and eyebrows at a downwards slant.

" Oh no Safu, I'm just laughing! I read a funny story and it made me giggle." she explained wiping a tear.

" Clarify." he asked skeptically.

" Here, I'll share it with you. Humor isn't something you can really explain." she said hold out her hand in the ta'al position.

" Linking with you will not injure me, will it?" he held his hand back, still concerned about his safety.

" No, Spock. I won't hurt you." she smiled down gently at him.

He swallowed and slowly pressed his small, soft hand against his mother's and felt the first tingle of this emotion that caused her laughter. It fizzed and popped and made his face feel funny. It was a light and bubbly thing, flowing freely through him like a desert wind unobstructed by nothing. It crept up to his throat with tickle.

" He...hehe. Oh!" he giggled before clapping his hands over his mouth. " Ko-mekh, you promised I would not be injured!"

" Causing you to chuckle can hardly be called an injury Safu. Now off with you before I continue to infect you with my emotions!" she said in a wavering voice with arms outstretched like she was going to grab him.

Spock gasped and quickly took his exit of the room.

" What are you thinking about Spock?" Nyota prodded as he opened the door to his suite.

" Your laughter reminded me of a memory of my childhood."

" I hope it was a good one." she said as she entered and looked about his room.

" I am quite fond of it." he replied watching her flit from one piece of furniture to the next. " What would you like to eat?"

" Hmm, anything with tuna would be great, thank you." she said looking out of his window at the beach. " You have an amazing room! I wish I could afford to stay at a place like this."

" Would you care to stay with me?" he asked dialing the number for room service.

Nyota turned to him with her jaw hanging open like a fish. " What? Really!? You'd let me stay here with you? Isn't that like, against Vulcan rules or something?"

Spock started to mention the bond was much more intimate than her staying over could ever be but he bit his tongue and amended his reply. " I would greatly enjoy your company here, and it would not offend my Vulcanness in the least if you did so."

Nyota started to smile but it faltered into a frown. " Uh, I dunno. My friends and I were suppose to be taking a vacation together before we all went off to the academy. I've already dumped them twice now and I know Christine is already sore with me about it."

Spock felt his chest constrict at the mention of Starfleet and squared his shoulders nervously. " Nyota, there is something that I have been meaning to tell you..."

" Oh really? Me too! You wanted to go first then and then I'll share?" she said flopping on his bed. She looked so incredibly gorgeous lying there that Spock actually paused to regard her. Her glittering brown eyes crinkled into slits as she smiled over at him, her affection soothing him like a warm bath after rigorous training in their bond. It was amazing to feel so wanted by someone you would have never thought to look at you twice, and Spock didn't want to ruin it by underhanded means like not telling her everything she should know.

" Spock, what did you want to tell me." she asked rolling over onto her belly and resting her chin on her propped up arms.

" I did..." he started before having the kitchen picked up the comm line and inquiring about their dinner.

"One moment please." he nodded to her and listed off the various dishes he wished for them to dine from.

The chef wished and clicked her tongue as he finished listing off the order. " Phew, I better get to work then. Should be ready in about 20 minutes. Arlo! Damon! Get up and get cracking we got a doozy here!"

Spock looked at the comm as if it would define doozy for him when Nyota came up and hugged him. He immediately hugged her back and nuzzled his face into her hair. How he longed to do this right after her performance. The other ladies received their male counterparts' affection openly and gleefully and he wanted Nyota to know how much he appreciated her, be the one to hug her and shoo away the other males wishing to garner her attention but it was still all too foreign for him to fathom.

Nyota initiating holding his hand or wrapping her arms about his was something he was just getting use to but he knew it was something she needed as a human. How human could her actually be for her? It was decided long ago for him to live his life as a Vulcan despite his mixed heritage. Was she okay with him being Vulcan, not only physically but culturally and emotionally as well? His anxiety must have been irritating her because she nuzzled closer and looked up at him.

" I really like you, Spock." she whispered, nibbling anxiously on her lip. " I've never felt so comfortable with anyone else before, never been so happy with someone else before. I wish we lived in the same place and see where this could go."

If she only knew how much of a reality that would be...

" Nyota, I..." he started only to be cut short when she leaned up and kissed him. Her adore soared through him, making him light headed. Her lips made him shiver and he purred against her mouth. He could feel the hair on the back of his hair stand up on end as he kissed her back.

So special, she was so very unique and she desired him, just the way he was.

She tugged at his shirt and pulled him towards the end of the bed. He sat and lifted her up onto his lap, continuing the gentle brush of his lips against hers. Their hands slowly followed the lead of their mouths and came to embrace the other, deepening their kiss with yet another kind.

Nyota hummed as she was blanketed in his sensible admiration, their joined fingers stroking and sliding ever so often bringing on another wave of mind-numbing lust.

Just as Spock was about to suggest they stop, the door chimed. They parted their mouth and stared at each other panting, hands still entwined.

" We kissed for 20 minutes?" she huffed.

" Actually 27.4 minutes. They were late." he answered looking back at her with half lidded eyes.

He felt drunk, as if he had eaten a whole bar of chocolate. It seemed Nyota's combined kissing had put him in a daze, that he did not readily want to leave. Perhaps it was always this way with one's bonded but he had never experienced anything quite like it with T'Pring. Did his mother's love affect his father the same way? Maybe it was an effect that humans could inflict upon Vulcans. That prospect was both terrifying and arousing.

As if reading his mind, Nyota crushed her lips against his once more and he found that he could not deny kissing her back until the door chimed once more.

" I must...answer that." he panted in between kisses.

" MmmHmm..." she commented absent mindedly.

" Nyota...we must stop..."

" Why?"

" If we...were to...continue... we would starve." he answered logically, only to have Nyota roll over laughing on the bed.

He shook his head and went to answer the door. The waiter glided the hovercart into his room and gave a quick dip at the waist before making his exit.

Spock uncovered each dish and recovered the one he saw containing tuna. Nyota skipped over and made a pleased hungry growl as she observed the food and happily accepted a dish of taro ramen.

" I don't think we're going to be able to finish all this."

" We will. Use your human faith Nyota. I know with very well that I could eat all of this without your help."

She tugged at her noodles with her chopsticks and silently pulled them into her mouth, making faces he had seen many times on his shipmates' faces as the ate something especially delicious. While he did enjoy food when it was cooked under a practised hand he could not see wanting to always see out food that was pleasurable. Food was something to be eaten for energy not for one enjoyment. Belatedly he thought of shave ice and tamped down a wave of guilty. Well,...most food.

" You're going to explode eating all of this." she warned pointing at the various dishes with her chopsticks.

" I am a Vulcan, Nyota. I can do things most humans could not." he nodded at her as he spooned a tangy potato salad over a bowl of steamy coconut rice. He spied the spicy fried taro root and stuck a few pieces of that in the bowl as well with his fork.

Nyota looked at him with a mild expression of disgust as he ingested the dish, saying that there were ' too many things going on' for it to probably taste good. He gave a quick flick of his brow indifferently, he rather liked the spicy, sweet tanginess of the combined food and the medley of textures they produced when chewed.

" So..." Nyota prodded aloud as she moved onto a plate of sashimi. " I never asked what you do for a living?"

Spock, who had been reaching for a bowl another of rice, knocked over the jar of soy sauce onto his lap.

" Oh no! " she sighed grabbing a napkin and patted Spock's crotch. He looked at her with a face of mild discomfort before gently removing her hand.

" It is alright. I will clean them in the bathroom. Thank you for your help." he said cautiously moving over to the dress and pulled out a fresh pair of pajama pants and underwear. " If you will excuse me I will be back momentarily."

She nodded and went back to eating their dinner, her eyes lingering after him as he walked to the bathroom.

When he started the shower Nyota sulked a bit in her chair. Ugh, long wait ahead she guessed nibbling on the last piece of fatty tuna. She should comm Christine to let her know that she wouldn't be back until the morning. Though she knew she should probably take it slow, having a whirlwind romance with a Vulcan was rare if not totally unheard for a human and she wouldn't miss the chance to live it out to the fullest.

She looked down at her comm to find the battery dead so she shifted over towards Spock's over on the nearby desk. When she flipped it open the speaker featured announced he had two waiting messages.

First message from Captain Christopher Pike

"WHAT!?" she shrieked.

" Hi, Spock, Pike here. Hope you're having a decent time there on Kauai. Just calling to check in and let you know that you'll have your hands full from what I see on your fall class roster. You're Phonology I class is already full but we're received 6 overrides for it! Aren't you the popular one? We'll I'll quit yakking and see you back at the Academy soon enough."

Nyota stared at the comm in disbelief as the next message played in her absence of commands.

Second message from S'chn T'gai Sarek

" Wait! The Ambassador?!"

" Spock, you're grandmother has told me that you still have yet to remove the bond that you have recently formed. It is very illogical for you to carry on with this behavior. Is the bonded even aware of it's presence? You might return home at once to have it removed. If you wish to look for another betrothal we shall be the ones to do so, not you. Live long and prosper son."

" Son?" she whispered, her stomach knotting tightly around her meal. What was this, some sort of joke? He was in Starfleet as a senior officer and instructor? He was the S'chn T'gai teaching her Phonology I class? And what the hell was this bond thing that his dad who was apparently the Vulcan Ambassador for Earth talking about? Betrothal?

She cupped her head as her mind reeled with the reality of it all. She had made out with her future professor and she might be bonded or whatever the heck his dad was talking about to him!

" Oh my God!" she sobbed looking around the room for a form of relief.

She looked up to see Spock exiting the bathroom, steam trailing behind him as he quickly walked over to her. " Are you well?" he asked sitting down beside her and was surprised to see her flinch away.

" How long did you know?"

" Know what, Nyota?"

" That you were my professor!?"

Spock opened his mouth to answer but she continued on.

" And this bond thing, are we bonded?"

" Where did you get this information." he asked curiously.

" It doesn't matter, answer my questions!" she yelled tearfully.

" I...I just found out about your enrollment into my class this evening."

" But you knew I said I was going to the academy, why didn't you bring it up then?" she countered.

" I did not see a convenient time in which to do so."

" Oh really? We've seen each other for the past three days and you couldn't even say once to me that you a officer in Starfleet? And this bond! Does it makes a engaged or something?"

" No, it is,...it is a link from my mind to yours."

Nyota looked at him and for the first time since she knew him felt like he was totally alien to her. Why didn't he tell her? We did he link himself to her?

Spock felt her fearful anger towards him like a burning stab in his chest. He knew that she could get hurt if he didn't say anything to her and he was planning to, he just found himself out of time to do so. He never he could hurt her so much.

" I am sorry I did not tell you these things earlier."

She shook her head and made her way past him, grabbed her helmet and opened the door. " So am I."

He followed her out, everything else forgotten." Nyota, I was going to tell you tonight."

" I have no reason to believe that." she spat fishing out her gloves and pulled them onto her hands. She wasn't sticking around him, he could just forget her staying over. In fact, he could just forget her. How was it going to work out anyways? He was her commanding officer and under his direct instruction at school. She felt so shocked she didn't even know where to start dissecting 'them'.

" You can believe it on the fact that Vulcans do not lie."

" Really? Because I feel like I found the only one who can."

He stood there stunned at her accusation feeling his own ire rise up. " I was going to tell you until you interrupted me tonight."

" Save it for somebody else."

" Nyota, stop being illogical and stay to discuss this."

Mounting her bike and fitting her helmet she turned to him before flipping the visor closed. " Aloha Oe. Until we meet again."

Spock watched as she revved the engine before tearing off into the night. Through the bond he could still feel her pain.

****" I am sorry."


End file.
